POM Does Hunger Games
by lunacorns14
Summary: Captured by the evil Dr Blowhole, all the penguin agents are slowly being slaughtered by a game that forces them to kill one another. By chance, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private all get chosen, along side another 20 penguins, however, in this game, only ONE can survive. But will the team's friendship stick when the fight for their lives count? Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1- Private's Premonition

**Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you. **

**Chapter One-**

Private jolted upright in his bunk, almost banging his head. Sweat dripped down his face as he panted, whimpering as he tried to erase the nightmare. He swallowed hard, wiping his forehead to remove the sweat. The young penguin put his face in his flippers. A shadow over casted him and then spoke in a familiar tone.

"Are you okay, young Private?"

"Um...Yes Skipper..." he replied, relieved with the older penguin's presence. Skipper sat beside him on Private's bunk, observing the little penguin quiver with fright.

"What happened?" he persisted.

"I-I had a nightmare..." Private gulped, his voice shaking.

"Well good, at least you can note it was only a nightmare, it's not real" Skipper announced, getting to his feet, feeling as if his sympathy part was over. With that, Private struggled to hold back the tears, and he burst out crying. "Shitaké mushrooms! Private, explain your tears!".

"I-It is r-real...It w-will happen" he snivelled, wiping his eyes.

"Now Private, what possibly makes you think something is going to happen?" the leader asked, rolling his eyes in disbelief of the young penguin's fright.

"It was...so real...And it's going to happen.." Private whimpered, grabbing his feet and rocking, sounding traumatised. Kowalski stirred, hearing the commotion.

"What's going to happen?" he yawned, looking down from his bunk.

"What more concerns me is _when_ it is going to happen..." Skipper grumbled, rubbing his chin in a paranoid thought. Private's eyes dimmed in horror.

"Now..."

With that, the hatch was flung open and four gas bombs bounced into the HQ, rolling around the room before letting out the substance. Within a few seconds of inhaling, Skipper's legs went wobbly and he dropped to the floor, followed by Kowalski who's head flopped down, letting gravity take it's course and causing him to fall from his bunk. Private also passed out but in his bed, whilst the unaware Rico, who was deep in slumber, inhaled and unknowingly passed out.

* * *

Skipper's eyes slowly opened, his vision becoming one. He let out a groan, steadily pushing himself up and off his stomach. He rubbed the back of his head painfully. As he suddenly noticed his surroundings, Skipper turned to Kowalski, who was still passed out on the floor beside him. He shook him vigorously.

"Kowalski, wake up!" he ordered, turning to the other two penguins the other side of him and shaking them too, "You too, Rico, Private".

"Ow..." Kowalski groaned, his eyes flickering open, holding his beak, which he had landed on. Rico shook his head and stretched, feeling actually quite refreshed. Private frowned as the light glared in his eyes as he tried to open them. They all sat up, before also noticing the strange place where they had been taken to. A drum bellowed a haunting beat. Skipper leaped up to his feet, scowling in anger. He slowly turned, looking up and around, taking in what was around him. The were in an arena, other penguins also gathered around the room looking just as bewildered. As his eyes scoured up the high walls, noticing that the arena was like a coliseum, with millions as an audience. The rest of the team steadily got to their feet. Private gasped, his beak quivering.

"I-It's happening..." he bawled, shaking in fright. Skipper turned to him quickly, grabbing him by his shoulders.

"What?! What is happening, Private?!" he shouted angrily, making the young penguin whimper further. Kowalski tapped his leader.

"Um...Skipper...Look..." the taller penguin gulped, hesitantly lifting his flipper up to point at a raised platform. From an arch way, a figure appeared, driving into sight. The familiar dolphin stood at a podium.

"Pen-GU-in agents from around the globe, I've gathered you here to play a little game..." Dr Blowhole grinned, maliciously, "You are all trapped, and you'll be separated into different districts, away from your original teams. If you want food, you can go and collect it her in the main arena. But, here's my favourite part, every time you receive food, you get your name written on a piece of paper. The more food you get, the more times your name is entered in to the Hunger Games. What are the Hunger Games you ask? It will take part once a year, two from each district will be chosen. Once you enter the Hunger Games, it's a fight 'til death, only one will win, only one survivor..."


	2. Chapter 2- The Reaping

******Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you. **

**Chapter Two-**

**_Three years later..._**

Skipper marched through the village, seeing the fearful looks on the other penguins faces as he passed. Today was the annual Hunger Games and everyone was petrified that they were going to be picked. Everyone went to get food, they had to. How else would they survive without food supplies? They were trapped, many had tried escaping, but none survived the journey...

He waddled briskly to the high fence that separated the districts. It was labelled 'High Voltage' yet Skipper had already figured out that it stopped working a while back. He ducked between two wires and continued into the neighbouring district and into the forest. A smile grew onto his face. He liked to be here, it was so peaceful and still, every movement was heard. He took in a deep breath, inhaling in the fresh air. A twig snapped behind him. Skipper narrowed his eyes, quickly spinning around to see who was behind him, pulling out a pocket knife and holding it out towards the figure.

"Woah, calm down Skipper!" Kowalski chuckled, holding up his flippers, "It's only me Skipper".

"Oh, sorry Kowalski," he apologised, putting away the knife and dropping his guard.

"I see you haven't lost your paranoia" smirked Kowalski. They had been meeting for a while now, after figuring out that they lived in the neighbouring district to one another. They walked to the top of a hill, looking out to the forbidden parts.

"I haven't seen the others in so long. I wonder how Rico and Private are..." Skipper sighed.

"I often think that too...I'm sure they should be fine though" Kowalski reassured, he looked at the continuing forests and mountains that covered the forbidden areas, "You know, I could live out there"

"You wouldn't get there, they'd hunt you down before you even reach the escape" Skipper chuckled, rolling his eyes at his friend.

"I could, we could, if we just got to the boarder lines, we'd be fine from there, we'd survive" Kowalski continue, his eyes filled with optimism.

"We can't just abandon Rico and Private" he laughed.

"Well, we could go fetch them and then leave for the forests" Kowalski persisted.

"Pfft, yeah right, Private living in the forest!" Skipper burst out laughing. Kowalski broke into laughter too.

"Yeah, maybe that plan would fall through" he chuckled. A gong was sounded. They looked at one another, terror suddenly visible in their eyes. "Well, I guess we should return for the reaping..."

"Yeah...Happy Hunger Games, Kowalski, and may the odds be forever in your favour..." Skipper sighed, reciting the slogan from the games.

* * *

Skipper returned to his district. All the penguin agents were being rounded up from their huts and ushered into lines by an army of armed lobsters. Skipper joined the line. Every penguin had a blood sample took from them, to identify who was in the group. He didn't approve of the needle, but every year was the same. Rubbing his flipper in pain as he walked away, he followed the rest of the penguins into the plaza. Blowhole stood at the podium, with a microphone.

"Hurry up! I've got eleven other districts to get through!" the dolphin snarled. As the last penguins joined the huddle, the lobster guards closed in, surrounding the crowd to prevent objections. "It's time for our annual Hunger Games, all who have put their names down for food have the greater chances of being chosen".

It wasn't particularly fair. Some were half starved and weak from refusing to get food, in fear that they would be chosen, and the others went a head getting food, thinking only of their health in the present. Skipper had put his name in a few times. There was no way he was going to lose his strength due to the lack of food. Blowhole rustled his flipper around the bowl of names, before grasping hold of one piece of paper. Slowly, Blowhole unfolded the paper and scanned his eyes over the writing.

"Manfredi" he announced. It was silent. The penguins looked around between themselves, departing a path way for the chosen to get through. With a gaped open beak, the small and fat penguin steadily made his way forward, astonished by his own bad luck. Blowhole chuckled. "That's one, now for the next".

He began his choice for the piece of paper. Skipper's gaze was cast downwards. He was oblivious to what was happening, zoned out as he tried to forget the nightmare he was now living. That was when he remembered. The day it all happened, the haunting tone in Private's fearful voice as he told his premonition. That voice repeated in his head. _"It was...so real...And it's going to happen..". _That poor young penguin must have been terrified to see his own nightmare unfolding before him.

"Skipper". Penguins surrounding him suddenly began to make a gap for him. Skipper shook out of his daze, scanning around him to see everyone looking at him. With a frown, he remained still, unaware of what was happening. "Skipper, come on up" Blowhole scowled. Skipper's eyes widened, before looking left and right in disbelief. Taking a deep breath in to compose himself, he walked to the front, joining the other side of the villainous dolphin.

"That's it everyone, our two representatives for the Hunger Games this year from district twelve; Manfredi and Skipper!" Blowhole announced, grasping the two penguin's flippers and holding them up in the air. Skipper snatched away angrily. The dolphin glared at him before adding; "Make sure you all tune in, I think this year will have a very interesting game".


	3. Chapter 3- Reunited?

******Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you. **

**Chapter Three-**

He was escorted away instantly. There was no time for goodbyes or time to pack his things, he was just taken away by the lobster guards. The train ride was awkward and quiet. The two chosen penguins sat beside one another, still in shock that they had to take part. Skipper looked at the penguin next to him. His face dropped, frowning and straining his eyes to try and work out why this penguin was so familiar to him. The fatter penguin looked at him, with an expression of disgust.

"Can I help you?" he grunted moodily. Skipper extracted his stare.

"I'm sorry, I just thought that I've seen you before.."

"Well, we are from the same district"

"Yeah, but I feel like you were apart of my team at one point...Manfredi?" Skipper suddenly realised, his voice tone raising with shock.

"Yeah?" the fat penguin frowned in confusion, "What about it?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice before. This is perfect, if we team up and form an alliance, then we have a better chance of survival" he grinned, pleased with his realisation. However his former agent discouraged him.

"You don't get it do you? Only one comes out alive, what's the point of teaming up when you could just stab me in the back as soon as we've killed the others?" Manfredi snarled, before returning to a softer tone, "Who are you any way?"

"You don't recognise me? It's Skipper! Your old commanding officer, before, you know...The incident happened..."

"Oh... Well, I would be pleased to see you but in fact it's more haunting to think that my ex-commander is now my potential killer..." he sighed, getting out of his seat and making his way to a different part of the train. Skipper sighed. It hadn't fully sunk in that he would actually be fighting for his life, and that he would be forced to kill innocent penguins in order to keep alive himself. The only thought that crossed his mind was how he'd be up against...

* * *

In the morning, they were escorted to a training hall, where they saw their competitors for the first time. The thought of the fact that in this room were penguins that all intended to kill him, was indelible. Manfredi parted himself from Skipper, in secret reason that he didn't want to become friends with him once more. Skipper made his way around the hall, sussing out who he was up against. He suddenly stopped in his tracks, staring at the tall penguin who was practising shooting with a bow and arrow. A short chuckle of astonishment slipped from his beak as he recognised the other penguin.

"Kowalski? It's you right?" Skipper asked. He watched as the taller penguin turned around, then grinning as he saw a smile grow onto his beak.

"Skipper? You were picked too?" Kowalski beamed, putting the archery tools over his shoulder and giving his commanding officer a brotherly hug. As he pulled away, they noticed the expressions on each other's faces had changed.

You know I'm gonna have to kill you, right?" Skipper smirked, saying so in a joking manner. However, Kowalski only forced a half smile.

"That's no joke though, is it? That's what we're here for.." the taller penguin sighed. Skipper frowned, before looking at his friend sympathetically.

"I have no intentions of killing one of my own. I have my leadership to an advantage and I intend to use it" he announced, before leaning in closer to Kowalski, quieting his tone, "The only way to stay alive is to form alliances, the bigger our group, the less likely we are to get ambushed".

"I have also noted something" Kowalski whispered, pulling out a clipboard and pointing to his drawing, "I've been told that there will be a pile of weapons in the centre of our starting point. Here is where approximately half of us will die, in the fight to get to the weapons. However, just behind us, there is a pile of supplies, bags with things we need for survival like a flask for water. I say, if we just grab a survival pack and make our way to high ground, we'll avoid the hustle for weapons. We can always go back for weapons, or take the weapons from the dead".

"Nice planning, Kowalski. I also heard that twenty percent of us lot will die of natural causes, like dehydration, at least we'd out smart mother-nature if we grab the survival bag" Skipper continued, keeping his voice low, "And we have to stay in there for two whole weeks".

"I never thought I'd live to undertake such a lethal mission" sighed Kowalski, looking quite forlorn.

"It's unlikely that we'll ever live to see another lethal mission".

"It's unlikely that we're going to live at all!" Kowalski gulped, panic sounding in his voice. Skipper looked at him worriedly, before letting out a sigh.

"Agreed...But let's not think of that right now. So, will you except my offering of allies?" he asked, raising a brow and lowering his head with suspense.

"Of course, happy to serve for you Skipper" smiled Kowalski, giving a salute. Skipper grinned, rubbing his flippers together in contentment.

"Good, now who else should we have?" Skipper asked, looking around the room. Kowalski nudged his leader, pointing into the corner.

"It appears the rest of our team is here too" he grinned. They made their way over to the short and mid-height penguins, that were sat in the corner. The shortest was huddled up to the other, who looked like he was comforting him.

"Private? Rico?" Skipper asked, looking down at them in disbelief. The mid-height penguin with the mohawk glanced up in a flash, a smile emerging on his beak as he recognised the penguin that spoke.

"Skipper!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet and throwing his flipper's around his leader excitedly.

"Well, I had no doubt that this was your sort of game" smirked Skipper, extracting from the hug. Suddenly, he frowned, using his flipper to turn Rico's head to the side so he could view his face. Rico's scar, that crossed over one side of his beak, had been re-opened and now had stitches. "Rico, what happened?"

"Blowhole said no cheating..." he grunted a response, beneath his gruff tone. Skipper's eyes widened in horror. Kowalski stepped forward to see.

"EGAD! They've took away your regurgitating wonder!"

"None sense. They can't just reach in and extract every weapon from his stomach. Show 'em Rico" Skipper persisted. Rico looked ashamed with himself, but attempted never the less. He opened his mouth and gagged, but like he said, nothing happened. "It can't be, we need _some_ weapons!" Skipper gasped.

"With no weapons inside him, his stomach will shrink, meaning he might not ever be able to hold weaponry again..." explained Kowalski. Skipper turned and grabbed the taller penguin.

"Don't you dare say that!" he snarled, letting go of Kowalski's feathers, "We'll think of something...". At that point, a whimper was heard. Skipper pushed his way past Rico and made his way to the small penguin, who was still huddled up in the corner. "Private? What's wrong?" he asked sympathetically.

"I-I was r-right...I-It's happened" Private stuttered, quivering frantically with fright. Skipper put his flipper around the young penguin, in an attempt to reassure him.

"Yes, it is. But I'm afraid there is nothing we can do, other than to stick together, like the team we are, out smart the rules of this sick game Blowhole's got us trapped in and triumph together". Private looked at his leader, his eyes red and swollen suggesting that he'd been crying for a while now.

"S-stay together? Can we do that?" he whimpered.

"They're no rules that force us to kill one another, it's purely out of fright why they do it" Skipper continued, getting up to his feet and helping Private up, "But we're not afraid of death. We'll train together, get ourselves sorted out and when it comes, the other twenty penguins won't be able to touch us".


	4. Chapter 4- Days Of Training

******Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you. **

**Chapter Four-**

Two days of training now over. Skipper had become a master of throwing knives and daggers, Kowalski had become a skilled archer, Private became accustomed with using an axe and Rico improved his weaponry use further, especially with a sickle and a mace. Rico had also sneakily swallowed a few of the training weapons to make sure they would all have weapons of some sort when in the actual game. The Hunger Games were a vile form of entertainment for the evil, broad casted on TV's for them to see. Many penguins from the districts watched too, just so they could see if the ones they cared about were unharmed, but many were disappointed. Nobody agreed with the games, but what else could they do? It seemed to be how the penguin agents would come to their doom, and Blowhole had them all right in his flipper, caught in his vindictive plan.

Skipper observed Private training. He had always been a skilled fighter, but he would need to master a weapon. There was no way he could compete against the others when armed if he used his martial arts knowledge. Skipper sighed. He was mediocre with his chosen weapon, but he didn't have enough power behind his hits. He was too caring, he had no intentions of hurting anyone. Kowalski approached Skipper, taking a moment to watch Private too.

"He's not going to make it out there, is he?" Skipper eventually sighed. Kowalski looked down at his friend, his eyes doing the talking for him.

"I fear the same..." he confessed. Silence fell between them, until Skipper finally spoke.

"He's just so young. Too young, and naïve. He shouldn't be faced in something as big as this".

"None of us should, no one should make innocent penguins fight 'til the death for entertainment. It's morally wrong".

"That's Blowhole for you" snorted Skipper, in frustration.

"Yes. I knew he was evil, but I never could fathom his reasons behind this stunt..." Kowalski sighed, looking down to the floor. Skipper stared at Private, who was still unaware of their presence and continued practising hitting the target with the axe, which was thrown so gentle that it failed to make a dent, never mind staying in on the target. The leader turned to Kowalski.

"Look after him out there, what ever you do, no matter what, protect him".

"I will...N-No matter what?" Kowalski gulped after nodding, taking in what his captain had said.

"What ever it takes, make sure he's safe. Promise me that" Skipper demanded, looking Kowalski sternly in the eyes, the taller penguin's beak quivering. Kowalski composed himself, giving a slow nod.

"I promise..."

* * *

That night, Kowalski snuck out from his apartment where his district team was staying and went down to the training hall. The corridors were silent so he was surprised to see Private had the same idea of getting in extra training. He observed him from the door way for a bit, before grabbing his bow and arrows and marched towards him.

"Private" he called. The little penguin turned around to see who had said his name, flinching in horror as an arrow skimmed past his cheek and hit the middle of the target behind him. Private stared at Kowalski in fear. The taller penguin walked up to him, placing his flipper on his shoulder. "Don't look so scared, I'm not going to hurt you" he chuckled. Private remained silent, still startled. Kowalski shook his head at him with a laugh, before walking past him and to the weapon holder. "Which do you want?"

"Oh..I've got this..." Private stuttered, lifting the axe. Kowalski let out a short chuckle, pulling out a pair of sais, making the little penguin gulp, sweating in anticipation.

"What did I tell you? I'm not going to hurt you" Kowalski persisted, making is way back to Private, handing him the weapons. Private examined the sais, seeing his wimpy reflection in the metal blades. "Now," Kowalski continued, "If you carried on using that axe, you wouldn't stand a chance, I'm sorry to say it but it's true..."

"I know..." Private whimpered in self pity.

"But no worries, because I'm going to teach you how to use a sai. They originate from Asian countries and are often used in the Okinawan martial arts. They are mainly used for blocking but can do great harm, observe" Kowalski explained, before holding out his flipper in an indication for Private to hand him the weapon, which he did so. Kowalski turned to the target, flicking his wrist and releasing the sai that flipped through the air a stabbed the target. He turned back to the astonished young penguin. "As you saw, it can badly wound the victim, especially if hit in the right place".

"B-But I don't want to hurt anyone" Private wailed. Kowalski grabbed the penguin by his shoulders and got to eye level with him.

"Private, if you don't at least injure them, they _will_ kill you" he informed, telling him without any subtlety to spare his feelings. He let go of Private and walked to the target to retrieve the sai. "You don't even have to throw it, you can use it like a dagger, that way it's only self defence when someone does attack you".

"They will try and get me?" he snivelled, naively.

"Of course they will, you've been chosen for the Hunger Games, everyone is so afraid of death that they'll do anything to protect themselves" Kowalski sighed, rolling his eyes. e gave the other sai back to Private, "Practise blocking and fighting with these, they're lighter than the axe, perhaps you'll be able to inflict a little more pain with these". He turned to walk away, completely forgetting of his own intentions of training. Private stared at the pair of sais, before turning to look over his shoulder.

"Kowalski...Thank you..."

"No problem" he smirked, stopping at the door way, "But I suggest you go to bed soon, the team needs you well rested for tomorrow..."


	5. Chapter 5- It All Begins

******Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you. **

**Chapter 5-**

It was silent. All Skipper could hear was the sound of his own heavy breathing as he struggled to divert himself any further from fear. He kept his eyes shut tightly, as he knelt to the ground, placing his flipper to the floor and feeling the still of the earth. His hearing was fuzzed, slowly allowing faint words from the present to flood in. Skipper sighed, bringing himself back to the scene. Noticing Kowalski was calling him, he opened his eyes.

"Yes, Kowalski?"

"It's time... We've all got to get to our dormitories..." his deep voiced informed. Skipper exhaled heavily, getting up from the floor. He stared at the dark room which was the training hall, in which he was in. "Skipper, we really must go..."

"Yes Kowalski!" Skipper snapped, before returning to a more soothing tone, "I'm coming..."

* * *

They returned to their dormitories, where they got prepared ready for the games. All their training had come down to this. Skipper's heart pounded as he stepped into the chute, a count down descending. He tried focusing on the plan; to just grab a survival bag and then head to high ground. However, he couldn't help but to think that maybe at least one of his men may betray him in the moment...

_...6...5...4..._

The chutes arose and the sunlight burst into Skipper's eyes as the platforms got to ground level. As promised, there was a pile of weapons in the centre of the circle of platforms, all the penguins surrounding them. Private glanced over at Skipper, who gave him a nod to indicate the plan. Skipper scoured his eyes around the circle to look for Kowalski and Rico, but they were out of sight.

...3...2...1...

A horn was sounded and, as predicted, all of the penguins dashed inwards to grab the weapons. Some were faster then others and got to the weaponry quicker, having first picks an using them to shoot away the opposition. Private stood still, frozen in fear. Skipper sprinted to the young penguin's side, before squinting his eyes to strain to see through the fighting to find the other half of his team. There was a huge explosion, causing the weapons and some penguin agents to be blown away from the circle. Skipper smirked.

"Rico" he grinned, as a familiar figure slid on his belly over to them.

"Kaboom" Rico smiled, getting to his feet.

"W-Where's K-Kowalski?" Private stammered, his pupils searching frantically for the taller penguin. Skipper frowned, before turning to see a certain scientific penguin grasping a survival bag, which were placed in a pile away from the platforms. He gave them a wave, indicating from them to come over.

"Com'on" Skipper demanded, racing forward, accompanied by Rico and Private. They joined Kowalski, who handed to survival bag to Private.

"Skipper, we need to get to high ground".

"Agreed, let's get out of this psychotic mess" the leader nodded. They hurried into the forest, although it wasn't long until they faced their first issue as a sai was launched at Private. Luckily it had hit the survival bag on his back, but the force was enough to send him to the floor. The team stopped, turning in panic to see a fat penguin march towards the young penguin with another sai. Kowalski looked from the scene and to Skipper frantically.

"M-Manfredi..." the leader gulped, his voice shaking as he could only picture what was to happen.

"Rico, a weapon, any!" Kowalski panicked. Rico did as he was told and regurgitated a dagger, which Kowalski grabbed. Manfredi grasped Private by the throat as he coward, raising the sai ready to puncture his stomach. The taller penguin tossed the dagger to Skipper, for he was the one who had been practising throwing knives. The leader quivered as he eyed up his target.

"Skipper, now! Remember?! What ever it takes?!" Kowalski urged, panic shaking his voice. Skipper continued to take aim, but his stance appeared that his heart was just not in what he had to do. Kowalski cringed as the little penguin seemed to be done for. Suddenly, Manfredi's angered face dropped, turning to a blank expression as he fell to the floor, blood pouring out of the back of his head. Rico stood behind him, a mace in his flippers.

"Whoopsie" he shrugged, in pure sarcasm as they all knew that he did it intentionally. Private shoved the corpse off of himself, before getting to his feet wit blood stained feathers. Skipper's eye twitched, his beak quivering as his old friend laid dead on the floor. Kowalski felt the awkwardness sweep through the air, the noises of screams interrupting his thought.

"We should be going, right Skipper?" he shuddered, hearing a canon sound for every time someone died. Skipper nodded slowly. He was the last to move away from the scene but, with a deep breath in, managed to compose himself ready to lead.

* * *

They ventured deeper into the forest, heading to the high land at a fast pace to limit themselves from harm. Skipper possessed a blank expression, his eyes cast down, watching himself walking. Private glanced up at Kowalski, looking concerned for Skipper. With a sigh, the taller penguin decided to talk to his leader. He waddled over, upping his pace to catch up with Skipper.

"In Rico's defence, you did say to protect Private...No matter what..." he stated, feeling slightly rude for mentioning such a topic. He heard his leader sigh.

"I know Kowalski, I'm not angry with Rico, he did..." another sigh was pushed out from his beak as his words strangled him, "...He did the right thing".

"I've heard a quote that went around my district" Kowalski reminisced, "Remember who the real enemy is...You see we should hate the game, not the players that are forced to oblige the rules..."

"The real enemy..." Skipper murmured, lowering his brow. Kowalski half smiled, unsure whether he had succeeded in comforting his companion or not. He patted Skipper's shoulder before slowing down and falling to the back of the group with Rico. Skipper thought deeply; _'Innocent penguin's being killed, for the entertainment of some evil villainous scum...The real enemy...The real enemy isn't the once who are trying to kill us, it's the one who's organised all this...If this world is ever to gain back sanity, we need to get rid of that dolphin...But that means, to get to him, we must win...'_


	6. Chapter 6- Interferrance

******Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you. **

**Chapter 6-**

Skipper looked down from the mountainous terrain in which he stood on, looking over the forest land. The air was still as night began to fall over the area. He turned to his team.

"Get climbing, we'll rest up a tree" he demanded.

"A tree? Is that really the safest option?" Private whimpered, his eyes scaling up the tall trunk. Skipper rolled his eyes, before looking at the taller penguin.

"Options, Kowalski?"

"Yes, resting up a tree would be safest. I believe that no chainsaws were supplied so we should be safe" the scientific penguin analysed. The leader gave a nod and returned his gaze to Private.

"See? Never doubt your leader" he grinned, smugly. They helped one another scale the tree trunk and rested where the branches began to part from the trunk. "We all good? You good? You good? You good? I'm good. So we're all okay, let's get some sleep".

"But Skipper...I don't think I can sleep...Not knowing that there are penguins out there wanting us dead..." the young penguin stammered in fright.

"That's not changed just because we're in this diabolical fantasy of Blowhole's. There has always been those out there that wanted us dead" Skipper sighed, casually, sliding his back down and against the branch, leaning on it as his eyes battered heavily.

"But now they're actually trying..." he persisted. The leader groaned impatiently, sitting upright.

"You see Rico over there? He's on our side, and he's not going to let anyone get you, alright? Same with Kowalski and me, we're not going to let them hurt you".

Private fell silent, feeling as if he'd just been scolded by his leader. Kowalski starred at Skipper as he settled down too.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Skipper started up the conversation again, "How are we going to stop this mess? I mean, before we were trapped here over three years ago, we were off on missions fighting the villains. Well, I say that there's no exceptions here! We need to stay a solid team. We'll get to the end and we'll defeat Blowhole and make him pay for all the innocent lives that he's cut short. Kowalski made me realise something earlier on. We shouldn't hate and blame the ones playing the game, the real enemy is the one who has caused all this. So, who's with me in the fight to get to Blowhole?!"

"I, Skipper, will join you" Kowalski inputted with conviction.

"Me too" Rico urged, with a nod.

"I will Skipper..." Private voiced, hesitantly, "I will always stand by you..."

"Good," the leader smirked, "To stay alive, we'll need weapons. Rico?". The psychotic penguin regurgitated up a bag of throwing daggers, a grenade belt and a hammer. The young penguin reached for the survival bag, pulling out the sai that was sticking out of the front of it.

"I can use this, I learnt how to" Private grinned, turning to Kowalski and exchanging smiles. Skipper cooed psychotically over the grenade belt, putting it around his waist and attaching the small bag of throwing daggers to the side of it. Rico cradled the hammer, holding it to his chest tightly. Kowalski pondered, looking into the distance thoughtfully and resting his beak on his flipper. He wasn't particularly great with any of those weapons but a thought suddenly struck him.

"I know, I can make a bow out of the bark from this tree. It'll take me a while, so I could stay awake and keep watch while I do so" he smiled, pulling a branch from the tree, "Rico, a carving knife if you please?".

Rico coughed up a knife and handed it to Kowalski, who began to hack and carve at the branch.

"It's fine Kowalski, I'll stay up and look over the group" Skipper assured. The taller penguin looked up at him, glancing across at his team mates and watching them shift awkwardly. He viewed the knife that he held in his flipper and then turned his focus back to the team.

"Oh, I get it...You don't trust me. I'm not the only one with a weapon you know" he frowned.

"No, no, Kowalski, you've got it all wrong" Skipper soothed, sounding a little alarmed, "I was just saying I think that you should get some sleep"

"I'm fine, Skipper" Kowalski hissed through a gritted beak, continuing to hack at the piece of wood. Private looked at Skipper concerned.

"...Okay then..." Skipper sighed, breaking the silence, settling back down against a branch, "If you insist..."

* * *

Meanwhile, in a lair where his minions controlled and watched over the arena, Dr Blowhole entered. He peered down into a globe which marked the positions of the living penguin agents.

"You" he snarled, turning to a specific lobster, "Tell me, how many are still alive?".

"Um, twelve are, sir" the lobster minion replied instantly. Blowhole's eyes widened, launching forward at the globe.

"What is this?! They've teamed up?!" he bellowed furiously. The lobster nodded nervously. The dolphin's face of fury dropped and exchanged it for a malicious and mischievous grin. "No matter, they'll soon have to turn on one another" he reassured, turning his Segway to leave the room. However, he stopped to add an final order. "They've gotten a little close to the boarder for my liking, set a decoy to make them move in closer".

* * *

They woke up unharmed. Skipper was first to wake, instantly turning his attention to Kowalski who was admiring his bow that he had made.

"Good job Kowalski" he smiled, rubbing his eyes. Rico began to stir, starching his back before sitting upright.

"Thanks. Oh Rico, do you think you've got any string for my bow? And some arrows would be nice, if you don't mind?" Kowalski asked, watching Rico stretch. Rico yawned before choking up some string that he'd swallowed, along with a bag of arrows. He threw the string to Kowalski, who expressed his gratitude before beginning to fix it to his bow. The taller penguin got to his feet, holding the bow out and tugging the string to confirm its security. He then put the bag of arrows over his shoulder and placed the bow around him on the opposite shoulder. Rico began to sniff, screwing his face up in confusion.

"Hey, wha' tha'?" he asked, pointing his flipper into the forest land on the higher ground. Smoke emerged from the bushes, soon accompanied by the danger that caused it. Skipper jumped to his feet, standing beside Rico.

"Kowalski...Analysis" he ordered.

"It's a forest fire, Skipper. We're surrounded by woodland and shrubs, it won't be long for the fire to travel" the scientific penguin informed.

"Well, we best get a move on then. Go men, go!" Skipper demanding, giving Kowalski and Rico a shove to make them jump down from the tree, before going to the young penguin's side and shaking him violently, "Wake up Private!"

"ARGH! Don't kill me!" Private squealed, curling up and flinching in horror. Skipper gave him a sharp slap.

"I will kill you if you don't get a move on, or else that fire will!" the leader bellowed, letting go of Private's shoulder's, allowing him to turn and face the blaze. With that, they leaped down to the forest floor, reuniting with the other half of their group. Whilst running, Skipper scolded them.

"I thought I told you two to go!" he panted, dashing along hill.

"We weren't prepared to leave you, we never will" Kowalski alibied, sprinting alongside Skipper. Rico accidently dropped his hammer. He skidded to a halt and turned to grab it.

"Rico, NO!" Skipper ordered, stopping to watch how it all panned out. Luckily, Rico managed to escape the flames with no more then a few burnt tail feathers when he retrieved his weapon. They both continued to run, however when they reached Kowalski and Private, they realised they had stopped. "Why have you stopped?!"

"This fire is no natural fire Skipper! It's being controlled, it's cut off our route!" Kowalski explained. The leader narrowed his eyes.

"Blowhole" he muttered, clenching his fists, "Forget high ground, we need to go back down hill".

"But sir, it's far more dangerous down there, that's where all the other agents will be" Kowalski disagreed.

"We'll just deal with that in the moment, right now we need to run...And that's an order!" Skipper snarled, changing direction and sprinting down hill, the others following. Rico clumsily tripped over a root and sent himself rolling down the steep mountainous hill. The others caught up with him at the bottom of the hill.

"Rico, you've found water!" Private praised, hyperventilating, sliding into he stream that Rico had landed in. Kowalski turned at looked up to where the fire was, but it had now self extinguished.

"They obviously didn't want us on high ground, perhaps we were close to the boundaries?" Kowalski suggested, receiving a shrug from his leader. Rico let out a gasp of pain, clenching his thigh with his flipper. Skipper dashed to his side, kneeling down in the water.

"You okay there, Rico?" he asked. Rico struggled for his breath, loosening grip on his thigh and allowing Skipper to see. The leader removed Rico's flipper to reveal a deep wound. Kowalski peered over Skipper's shoulder to see Rico.

"Bathe it in water and I'll put together a herbal remedy to nurse it with...If you trust me not to poison it?" Kowalski groaned, still feeling annoyed from the previous night. Skipper sighed.

"Yes, go and get it done. Take Private with you. Be careful out there" the leader pleaded.


	7. Chapter 7- Remain Vidilant

**********Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you.**

**Chapter 7-**

Skipper sat beside Rico, who was laid in the stream, his back resting on a rock. The leader pulled a cloth from the survival bag, that Private had left behind, and soaked it in the water before holding it to the wound. Rico winced, tensing his body in pain.

"I'm sorry compadre. It's all I can do until Kowalski gets back with that remedy" Skipper explained, almost able to feel his friend's pain.

"Where are they?" Rico wheezed, trying to sit up right. Skipper restrained him, gently easing him back down.

"I don't know...But you need to keep still".

* * *

Kowalski peered round a tree, looking in all directions sneakily to check the coast was clear. He dropped down onto his stomach, army crawling towards a pile of unique violet plants. Selectively, he pulled the leaves from the buds. Private waddled over to him carelessly.

"What's that?" he asked. Kowalski gabbed the young penguins feathers on his chest and pulled him to the ground.

"Be quiet! There are still those out there trying to kill us!" the taller penguin hushed, letting out a sigh, "Just hold these, would you?"

Private held the distinctive leaves in his flippers, following Kowalski as he stealthily shuffled over to a growth of mushrooms in the clearing of the forest. He tore the top of the mushroom from the stump and handed it to Private. Muttering to himself, the crawled forward. Suddenly, a blade skimmed his head, stabbing into the tree behind him. Kowalski looked to his left quickly, viewing the penguin assassin. He dashed backwards, grabbing Private and using his flipper to pin him to the tree.

"Listen to me, you need to get out of here, head back to Skipper, take these with you and get Skipper to grind them up into a powder. It should be enough for Rico's wound" Kowalski instructed, letting go of the young penguin's shoulders.

"What will you do?" Private stammered, his beak quivering in fear. Kowalski pulled an arrow from his bag and took the bow off his shoulder.

"I'm going to district him. When he changes his aim to me, you run in the opposite direction, got it?" he asked, sounding a little aggressive. Private gulped, nodding hesitantly. Kowalski peeked around the tree. Another blade was launched, missing his face by inches. The taller penguin sprinted forward, before leaping onto his stomach, on which he slid to go behind another tree. Private cringed as he watched his friend dodge several daggers that were thrown at him. Kowalski indicated to Private to run, however the young penguin hesitated and stood frozen in horror. The taller penguin frowned, aiming his bow and arrow at Private. The arrow skimmed Private's cheek at hit the tree next to him. It was dangerous, but enough of a shock to bring the little penguin back to reality.

"GO!" Kowalski shouted angrily, taking another arrow from his bag. Private's face turned pale and he turned to run back to where the other half of his team was. Kowalski aimed for the assassin penguin, but noticed that the focus was no longer on himself, but Private. His eyes dimmed with horror, his beak gaping open. The other penguin had seen Private and was now aiming for him. Kowalski narrowed his eyes, his body shaking in anger. He watched the other penguin throw a dagger, just as he let go of the string and the arrow was sent flying into the other penguin's stomach. The taller penguin dashed forward, pinning the other penguin, who was bleeding uncontrollably, to the ground. His angered eyes steadily widened in realisation.

"Johnson..." he gasped. The identified penguin winced in pain, trying to squirm from Kowalski's grasp. The taller penguin let go, getting to his feet. "Look, I can heal you, I'm sure Skipper will be pleased to see you".

Johnson wasn't interested in reuniting with his ex-commander. Instead, he reach for his dagger and quickly tossed it at the taller penguin. Kowalski dodged the blade, glancing over his shoulder to watch it fly past. He turned back around with a furious face. He marched over to Johnson and placed his foot on his chest to prevent any more movement. Kowalski pulled the string back on his bow, the arrow set, ready to be launched.

"N-no, please, have mercy" Johnson wheezed, his eyes cringing shut. Kowalski's face displayed an expression of disgust.

"You wouldn't have done to me" he snarled, releasing his flipper from the string. The arrow pierced through Johnson's skull, his head flopping down lifeless on the grass. Kowalski's heart pounded, his expression dropping and bringing his flippers to his beak in shock. With a gulp, he fled the scene, but he didn't get far until he saw the unthinkable.

* * *

Skipper shuddered. A cold feeling possessed his body, sending a chill down his spine. Rico frowned, his deep scold feeling less sore from bathing it.

"Wha' wrong?" he questioned, tilting his head in confusion at his leader. Skipper held his own shoulders with opposite flippers, rubbing down his forearms and looking pale.

"I-I don't know...It's almost as if...Someone close to me has died-" he suddenly stopped himself, his eyes widening and his beak dropping open, "K-Kowalski! P-Private!"


	8. Chapter 8- The Things We Lost

**********Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you.**

**Chapter 8-**

Kowalski dropped to his knees, his beak quivering. He reached out his flippers, which quaked violently with shock. With eyes welling up, he swallowed the tight knot in his throat in an attempt to speak.

"P-Private?" he stuttered, his flipper hesitantly touching the young penguin's shoulder. The little penguin was still, his face pale, laid flat out in the long grass. "Private..." Kowalski whimpered, his voice changing pitch as he began to lose the fight to hold back his tears. The little penguin gently stirred, managing to turn his head slightly to view the taller penguin.

"K-Kowalski..." he wheezed, forcing his name from his beak as he lost his breath. Kowalski bought himself closer to Private, holding both of his shoulders and pulling him up gently to sit him up right, resting him over his lap.

"Yes? I'm here, don't worry" Kowalski soothed, shakily caressing his face. That was when he noticed what he assumed had happened. One of the daggers that Johnson had thrown had hit Private, piercing deep right into his lung. With his fear confirmed, Kowalski's breathing became shallow. His cheeks were wet from his leaky eyes and he continued to shiver with panic. Gently moving his flipper down to Private's side, he grasped the dagger handle before swiftly removing it from his friend. Private winced, then let out a sigh of relief. Kowalski felt Private's body relax, his pendulous flippers losing tension. He gently shook the younger penguin.

"S-Sing t-to me, K'walski..." Private sighed, losing his breath. Kowalski felt so guilty that Private's strange request didn't surprise him. He nodded slightly.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow,  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when you...wake, the sun will rise

Here it's safe, and here it's warm  
Here the daisies guard you from every harm  
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true  
Here is the place where I..." he paused to recover his breath.

"Deep in the meadow, hidden far away  
A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray  
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay  
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away..."

With a shaken voice, Kowalski couldn't bring himself to sing the rest of the lullaby. What was the point of continuing to comfort and reassure the little penguin when they both knew he wasn't going to be okay. As Private's eyes drooped shut, a smile grew on his beak. A final breath escaped his mouth, his breath cold. Kowalski whimpered, hugging the corpse. As the body became light and lifeless, the taller penguin hyperventilated. He pulled away, starring at the last expression the little penguin bared. Tears streamed down his face, his flippers shaking.

A twig snapped to his right. Kowalski turned his head suddenly. It was his leader, who instantly noticed Private laid dead in Kowalski's flippers. The taller penguin didn't try to disguise his sadness, yet Skipper didn't take an interest in him.

"Wha...What did you do?" Skipper urged, sounding breathless from shock. Kowalski looked down at Private, and then back to Skipper, a confused look sweeping across his face.

"What?" he gasped.

"What did you do to him?!" Skipper bellowed, shaking the still forest. Kowalski gaped at his leader. He couldn't belief what he was being accused of.

"I didn't do anything! I swear!" Kowalski pleaded, getting to his feet, allowing Private to lay in the grass. Skipper's face bared a scowl, his upper beak twitching in anger. "Skipper, it was Johnson, he tried to kill me. I ran the distraction so Private could get away, but...He wasn't fast enough".

Skipper glanced at the other corpse in the distance to where Kowalski had pointed, labelling the body as Johnson. The leader's anger faded, turning into sadness. He dropped to his knees, cradling Private's lifeless body. Kowalski heard his captain whimper, and watched his pull the body closer to himself. The taller penguin put a flipper on Skipper's shoulder for comfort.

"I-I...I tried to safe him...Honestly Skipper..." Kowalski bawled, wiping his eyes. Skipper looked up at his lieutenant, his eyes glistening with water from the sun that was beaming through the tree tops.

"I know...I'm sure you did..." Skipper whispered, keeping his voice low so it was so clear that his voice was shaking. Kowalski sympathetically smiled at his leader, helping him to his feet and pulling him into a brotherly hug. They softly wept into each others feathery necks, before pulling away, giving each other a respectful nod. They took a deep breath in, to compose themselves. Skipper starred down at Private's little smile.

"You obviously made his last moments pleasant..." the leader praised.

"I just did as he asked...He wanted a lullaby..." Kowalski sniffed. Skipper looked up at him, giving a half smile.

"Let's at least make him a grave" he ordered. They began gathering leaves and flowers to cover the corpse, and eventually pulled themselves away and returned back to Rico with the ingredients for the remedy.

* * *

Rico shuffled as he saw his team mates appear from the bushes...Minus one.

"Where Private?" he asked, starring at Skipper, horrified. Skipper took in a deep breath before he spoke.

"He..He was killed...But we've given him a respectful send off" he explained. Rico's expression changed as he spoke, his flippers shaking as he covered his gaping beak.

Kowalski got to work making the remedy, while Skipper comforted Rico, who was feeling okay but in shock. The scientist covered Rico's scorch mark in the herbal mix, making the psychotic penguin cringe. Kowalski sat back.

"You'll be fine by morning, but we should really find a safe place for him to rest".

"Come on compadre," Skipper started, crouching down. Kowalski helped Rico onto Skipper's back, who then stood up, placing his flippers behind his back to secure Rico. "Move out men..."


	9. Chapter 9- The Games Go On

**Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you.**

**Chapter 9-**

They spent most of the day searching for a safe place to rest, shiftily moving through the forest to avoid being sighted. It was so quiet now. There hadn't been a sighting of another competitor for what seemed forever, however it was preferable to them to stay that way. The three penguin friends still were horrified that the youngest had died. Though they didn't let the tears flow, the were all aware of one another's grief. They eventually found a cave in depths of the forest, approaching it cautiously. With Rico on his back, Skipper remained still as Kowalski pulled out an arrow from the bag, placing it in his bow and edging forward into the darkness of the rocky cove. Skipper waited in anticipation, narrowing his eyes and straining to see. The taller penguin emerged from the cave, giving a nod, implying that it was all safe. With that, they all entered the cave. Carefully, Skipper crouched on the cold hard surface and allowed the injured Rico to gently slide off his back to sit on the floor. Kowalski slumped down next to Rico, applying another heavy dosage of the remedy he made to Rico's scold. Skipper let outa sigh, remaining on his feet and pacing before them.

"We will not let Private's death be in vain" he started, placing his flippers behind his back as he began his speech, "This has made me realise that this all has to stop. Blowhole has got away with this for too long. How many more lives will it take for this to come to a halt? Well, I say enough is enough! Private was a peace lover, and that's what we must bring to this earth..."

"Skipper, I admire your will to avenge Private but there's no way we can win...Not unless you're suggesting..." Kowalski gasped, staring at his leader.

"I'm afraid so boys. We have to win, we're the only ones who have faced Blowhole before. And to get to him... We have to eliminate the other competitors..." Skipper sighed, before turning to the opening of the cave. The skies were becoming dark, clouds swirling together and letting go of the rain they were cradling. He turned back to face his team. "Let's get some sleep men, we need our energy to...You know..."

As much as he knew it was their only option, Skipper felt so guilty at the fact that, to proceed with his plan, he had to kill innocent fellow penguin agents.

* * *

Kowalski stirred, rolling over on the hard cold ground to face the others. He saw Rico, sat up right and very much awake, who was viewing his wound. The taller penguin pushed himself up on to his tail feathers, sliding his back up against a rock he had used as a pillow.

"Can't sleep, huh?" he asked, getting his friend's attention.

"Nah-uh..." Rico sighed, looking up at Kowalski.

"Me neither" the taller penguin replied, before looking past Rico to see their leader huddled up in deep slumber, "I don't know how he's so serene, when we have to..."

"Um..." Rico interrupted, signalling his desire to hear no more. Kowalski let out a forlorn sigh.

"I know Skipper begged us to protect Private, but I don't think he was ever the one we needed to preserve...I mean, obviously he needed help, but if this is ever going to end, only one of us needs to make it through".

"Wha'?" Rico frowned, shocked at Kowalski's defeatist attitude.

"If we are both to die, which I fear is invertible, we need to assure one thing; Skipper is to survive. Think about it, he's the only one who can actually defeat Blowhole, he's the only one who can end this madness" Kowalski groaned. Rico, though his replies were often short, kept his response shorter and just gave a nod. Kowalski stared at him. "I mean it, Skipper must survive...Even if we don't..."

"Uh-huh..." agreed the mute penguin, rolling over to lay on his stomach, clicking his beak to fall into a nap. Kowalski looked down at him before settling down, lowering himself down to lay flat. He stared up at the cave roof, not really paying attention as his drifted off into a daze. It was a grim reality that they were now living, and horrifying to think that is the world as they'll know it before they die...

"I don't think it's sunk into Skipper's head that only one of us can survive... He still seems to think we can win as a team" the taller penguin continued, letting out a forlorn sigh. A loud snore bought his sight to Rico, who had fallen to sleep very quick. Kowalski shuffled on his back, agitated with thought.

* * *

Rocks crumbled and a cloud of dust arose. With a cough, the leader bolted himself upright, his eyes scanning with fright. The cave was dark, but not from the night. His sight was clouded by demolition dust from the collapsing cave walls.

"Kowalski! Rico! Get up now!" Skipper growled, turning to the two sleeping penguins. He grabbed them both by the feathers on their chests. "That's an order!"

They jolted to attention by his shout. Skipper let go of them and paced around the cave.

"Kowalski, analysis..."

"This is no natural cause," the scientific penguin pondered, getting to his feet, "That means that someone has found us"

"They're going to bring this cave down!" Skipper bellowed.

"We can't go out there, they'll kill us before we have chance to escape" explained Kowalski.

"We'll die if we stay!"

"Ahem..." Rico interrupted, getting the attention of the arguing penguins. He regurgitated a helmet that had a drill on the top, and placed it loosely on his head before diving head first to the floor. With their eyes suddenly full of optimism, Skipper and Kowalski watched Rico as he disappeared down a tunnel that he was drilling, before shortly following him down. They tunnelled down and, when they eventually surfaced, they made a quick dash away.

"Quick thinking Rico" panted Skipper, putting a flipper on his hip and leaning over to catch his breath.

"Why thankyou" Rico beamed, accepting the compliment. Kowalski hyperventilated, inhaling before standing to his full height, composed. Skipper turned to him.

"Kowalski, how many competitors are there left?" he asked.

"Judging by the amount of noise and potential weapon usage just then, I'd say that we're not the only ones that have teamed up... I'd say that there was about four penguins just then" analysed the scientist.

"Hoover dam! We're out numbered!" Skipper gasped, "It can't be, only we came up with the idea to team up"

"You did speak pretty open about it in when we were training" muttered Kowalski.

"Curse their listening earholes!" the leader cringed through a gritted beak, "It's fine, we've got my leadership, Kowalski's brains and Rico's weaponry wonders. That reminds me...We need to start eliminating the others, it's for a better cause..."

"I estimate that there, in total, including us three, there are seven of us left".

"So only those four? This will be easy" grinned the reassured Skipper.

"I don't think so..." sighed the taller penguin, "They're in a team, it'll be tricky to sneak up on them..."

"But they'll be too paranoid by eachother, besides they aren't as solid as the team we are" the leader smirked, "Rico, weapon me".


	10. Chapter 10- What You'll Rue

**Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you.**

**Chapter 10**

With the final penguins now located, Skipper gestured signals to Kowalski and Rico to move around to the other side. His plan was to surround their camp, closing in and killing them. The leader peered round a tree, staring at the four penguins sat on the forest terrain by a log fire. He glanced over to Kowalski, who had just taken his position in a shrub. Skipper gave the taller penguin a nod, who then pulled an arrow from his bag and placed it in his bow. He aimed it at a selected penguin, the tip of the arrow pointing out from the leaves. Composing himself with a deep breath, Kowalski let go of the string. There was a blood curdling scream that came from one of the other penguins, as they watched their team mate be slaughtered in front of them. Kowalski hid in the shrub, placing a flipper over his eyes in guilt. The leader then looked up to Rico, who was perched on a branch in a tree. Signalling him, Rico then regurgitated a grenade, throwing it down at the terrified group, who were attempting to scatter. The explosion sent the three victims and the corpse flying in all directions. Skipper then pulled out his throwing daggers, revealing himself to the exhausted and horrified penguins. Two staggered to their feet, attempting to run away, but Skipper finished them off with a flying blade that pierced their skulls. However, Skipper was beyond satisfied as he knew that only three of the four were dead. He turned to view the clearing. Kowalski leaped out from the shrub, pulling an arrow from his bag and shooting it out with his arrow. Skipper sucked in his gut as the arrow shot passed him, hitting the forth threat.

"Not so close next time Kowalski" Skipper let out a nervous chuckle. The taller penguin ambled over to his leader's side.

"Sorry, but I knew I wasn't going to hit you" Kowalski boasted.

"Don't get cocky when your playing with weapons" the leader scolded, raising a brow in concern. Suddenly, the forth penguin that was hit stirred, pushing it's self up right.

"I wasn't cocky... If I wanted to hit him in his heart, I would have had to have shot closer to you..." the taller penguin gulped. Skipper felt for his pocket of throwing daggers, but he was disappointed to find it was empty. With a limp from the arrow sticking out his leg, the penguin agent staggered towards Skipper and Kowalski, pulling a dagger from a corpse on his way. He lifted his flipper which clenched the dagger, aiming for Skipper.

"Kowalski, use your bow" Skipper gasped, frozen in horror of the sight.

"I-I can't...That was my last arrow..." the taller penguin stuttered. The penguin threat drove the dagger forward, making Skipper wince. With Kowalski cringing, he only heard a body fall to the floor. "S-Skipper?" he asked, behind shielded eyes.

There was only silence, followed by a metallic sound and foot steps running.

"K-Kowalski..." a voice gulped. The taller penguin glanced to his side, where he had heard his name. There was his leader, stood right beside him, not a scratch mark on him.

"Skipper but how?" Kowalski gasped, his beak gaping. Skipper didn't reply. Instead, his head dropped, his eyes cast down and staring below. When Kowalski also glanced down, he suddenly fell into a trance. Skipper dropped to his knees, picking up the heroic corpse in his flippers.

"Rico...He sacrificed his life...For me..." the leader pouted, trying to prevent his beak from quivering. Kowalski put a flipper on Skipper's shoulder, before kneeling down beside him.

"S-so that means, the other guy got away..." Kowalski pondered, receiving a harsh shove from his leader.

"Forget about the other soldier! Rico is dead, you fool!" Skipper bellowed, pulling the corpse closer. Kowalski shrunk in guilt, casting his gaze away before returning it back to Rico. "He was a brave, brave soldier...He was like a brother to me".

"Skipper, I know you are upset, I too am upset, but if we don't kill that other penguin, we can't end this whole thing" Kowalski whimpered, wiping a tear from his eye before it could trickle.

"Enough with the killing! I'm sick of killing!" Skipper cried, falling into a state of deep melancholy and depression making it difficult for Kowalski to comfort him.

"We'll give him a send off like Private, but like you said when Private died, their deaths can't be in vain. That means we need to get to Blowhole".

Skipper knew Kowalski was right, but was in denial at Rico's sacrifice. "No, no, I won't leave him" his voice shook.

Kowalski clasped his leaders shoulder, pulling him around and turning him on the spot slightly. He raised his flipper and gave the captain a stern slap around his face, before grabbing hold of his other shoulder and getting eye level with him. "Skipper, he is no more then a dead body now. He died quickly, see? The wound mark in directly to his brain, it would have been over quickly, he wouldn't have felt a thing".

The captain got to his feet, pushing away his lieutenant and giving a look of disgust. "What has happened to you?! You've turned so sick and twisted" Skipper hissed, screwing up his face. Kowalski's beak gaped slightly at the words his leader had just used to describe him.

"I-I'm not, but if we don't move, we'll get killed".

"Oh save me your excuses Kowalski! It was different when Private died, there was more competitors. There is one left now!"

"Yes! ONE LEFT! He's so close to winning that only killing us two is in the way, and he'll have no problem doing that if we just sit and mourn!" the taller penguin argued, standing up.

Skipper squared up to him. "Then you best go if you're that much of a coward" he scowled.

"B-But Skipper, I didn't mean it in a cowardice way..."

"JUST GO! I don't want you here a second longer, you're a disgrace to this fallen soldier" Skipper spat, narrowing his eyes and looking the lieutenant up and down, "You should've gone instead of him..."

Kowalski's face bared a look of frustration. "Fine, I'm going, but do you really think things would be any different if me and Rico swapped places?" he rhetorically asked, storming away, picking up some of his arrows as his did so. Skipper felt guilt serge through his body. He couldn't help but to watch as the taller soldier marched away.

_'A rowel with my alliance...Probably wasn't wise to have an argument when in a game where they can kill you...That isn't what concerns me though..."_Skipper thought, letting out a sigh, looking down at Rico's corpse, staring at the bleeding wound that split his forehead. He picked up the dagger from the grass, the blade that had killed his friend._ 'I'm sorry Rico, but I'm not letting Blowhole get away with this... I need to get my alliance back, or else we won't be able to win as a team...' _Skipper looked into the distance to where Kowalski had headed, but he was disappointed to see that he had already gone, not that he would have gone after him and swallow his pride to apologise.


	11. Chapter 11- Two Against One

**Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you.**

**Chapter 11**

Skipper buried his fallen team mate, placing Rico's weapons around the mound. The leader knew that his two former soldiers had different personalities, and that it wouldn't be right to smother the grave of the psychotic penguin in flowers. With a disheartened sigh, Skipper stepped back, staring down at the pile of dirt that covered the corpse.

"I'm so sorry Rico...You shouldn't have died in this way. I always expected you to have been blown up by your own explosives" he let a slight chuckle slip from his beak as he reminisced, "But this is far more then me. I'm afraid I knew that I was never going to stop this... But Kowalski believes that we can stop this... And right now, I need to get my lieutenant back". Skipper's beak formed a grin, before bringing his feet together, standing tall and raising his flipper to a salute. "Farewell my psychotic compadre, I wish you all the best in your after life".

Turning on his heels, the leader, though now without a team, dashed through the forest, making his way to where they all started, in hope that from there he could locate Kowalski.

* * *

The taller penguin perched himself high up on a branch in a tree, hacking at a chunk of wood in an attempt to create more arrows. With a sudden serge of rage, Kowalski threw down his failed effort, slumping against the trunk.

"You should've gone instead of him!" he mimicked, infuriated by this remark, "How dare he say that?! I've always been so loyal to him, and he wishes my life away!"

He let go of the offence with a sigh, before staring down at the ground. Kowalski clambered down the tree, glaring at the arrow he had tried to carve. He swung back his foot and thrust it forward, kicking it into the bushes.

"I need to get more weapons..." he groaned, as he began to amble through the forest.

* * *

The skies began to darken and the clouds rumbled together. Skipper waddled into the open, giving a presence too confident for something not to happen. As the first thunder grumbled, he marched forth to the centre point, looking to his left and right in desperation.

"Kowalski? Where the heck is that guy?" he muttered, before diverting his gaze up to the black skies. At that point, a sharp _clack_ was sounded from his left. Skipper sprung back to attention, his eyes narrowing as he suddenly viewed Rico's assassin stood before him with a wooden crossbow. Unarmed, Skipper backed away to the pile of weapons, however the rival penguin remained stern.

"Who are you?!" Skipper bellowed, clenching his flippers into a fist.

"You don't need to know my name" the penguin hissed, aiming the crossbow at Skipper, "Where you're going, you'll have no need to know any name".

"Don't give me that" Skipper scowled, slowly stooping down to grasp the sword beside his foot.

"Don't move!" he scolded, clenching the crossbow. Skipper kicked up the sword, sending it up in the air and into his flippers, holding it up over on shoulder, ready to swing. The other penguin agent gritted his beak, shooting an arrow at Skipper, who swung the sword to intercept the hit. Screaming in anger, the penguin charged forward, grasping a dagger from the pile before lunging at Skipper.

Skipper blocked the hit, which was then extracted and was aimed for his waist. He whacked the dagger away, before raising the sword to hit the opposition. It was repealed. They continued to sword fight, the disturbing thought dawning on them both that they were evenly matched. The unnamed penguin slashed Skipper's cheek, making him wince in pain, before kicking him in the stomach. Skipper fell to the floor with a thud. The dagger was thrust down towards Skipper's chest, which he deflected. He punched the nameless penguin, leaping to his feet. The penguin put his flipper to his jaw, cracking it back into place before defending off the protagonist's hits.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the lair of the villainous dolphin, Blowhole glared down at the globe that viewed the arena. He grinned mischievously.

"Ah, a fight has kicked off. It won't be long until the final battle between the two last competitors" Blowhole chuckled, rocking on his Segway as he laughed. He composed himself suddenly, driving himself over to a red button, which he pressed after his remark. "Um...But let's make this more interesting..."

* * *

Skipper yelped, dropping his weapon and crouching down to cradle his injured ankle. The other penguin smirked in a malicious way. He raised the dagger in two flippers, angling it above Skipper's skull. The leader looked up, cringing at the sight. Suddenly, a figure leaped over Skipper, kicking the other penguin to the ground.

"K-Kowalski!" Skipper gasped, his beak gaped. The taller penguin stood up straight from his action stance, looking over his shoulder at his leader.

"I shouldn't have walked off Skipper, I should have stayed to resolve it.." He mumbled, letting a deep breath slip from his beak as he slumped his shoulders forward and turned to face Skipper. He put out his flipper, which the commander grabbed and was pulled to his feet. He winced a little when he first put pressure on his injured ankle.

"Well, it's my fault really. I ordered you away, you were just obeying a command. Like you've always done" Skipper muttered, embarrassed at his confession. Kowalski rolled his eyes, letting out a light chuckle.

"Well, I can hardly pretend I'm perfect, but I do _try_ to follow orders" he smirked. The smile vanished when his earholes detected movement behind him. He turned on his heels and tensed into an action stance.

"Kowalski, where is your bow?" Skipper groaned, putting a flipper to his face as he watched the rival claim the long sword that Skipper once had.

"I left it back in the forest, I needed more arrows to use it anyway" the taller penguin explained, still keeping his focus on the enemy, before straining his eyes at him, "Skipper, do you _know_ who this guy is?"

"No, not a clue" the leader scratched his head.

"No, I mean, do you _know_ him" Kowalski persisted, his voice pitch slightly raising making it sound more like a statement then a question. He gently eased a circle as the penguin tried to get to his side.

"Kowalski, I said I don't know him".

"Skipper," He announced with attitude, "I wasn't asking as a question, for I know this guy".

"Really? Then would you shed some light on this mystery?!" the leader grumbled, edging over to the pile of weapons. The recognised penguin agent remained silent, a slight grin perhaps saying enough. He threatened the sword towards Skipper as he noticed him move.

"You remember Buck Rockgut?" Kowalski continued.

"Special agent Buck Rockgut? Of course, he was my hero".

"This penguin possesses very similar features and mannerisms to him".

"So..?"

"He also has very of the same deoxyribonucleic acid as Buck".

"When have you had the time to do a DNA test?!" Skipper gasped, giving his lieutenant a stern stare, who shuffled around a circle, still being eyed up by the other agent.

"I get around..." he chuckled awkwardly.

"Well? I still don't know who this nut-job is!" the commander snarled in anticipation.

"It appears that this is Buck Rockgut's descendant, hence the reason for his skilled fighting. They have the same strengths..." Kowalski sighed, receiving a triumphant nod from the penguin. Skipper pondered quickly, before his face lit up with a thought.

"And the same weaknesses!" he exclaimed. With that the youth of the commander's hero lunged at Kowalski. Skipper grabbed a mace and threw it at the taller penguin who caught it in his flippers, using it to defend himself from the sword.

"Skipper, I haven't trained with one of these!" he panicked, cowering behind the weapon. Skipper picked up an axe.

"Just hit him!" he demanded, charging towards the penguin, with the axe raised over his head ready to swing. Skipper took over the fight, keeping the attention of the recognised penguin. Kowalski suddenly stopped and listened hard. "Help would be appreciated, Kowalski!" Skipper cringed, blocking a hit with the handle of the axe.

The taller penguin didn't reply. He sharpened his hearing, straining his earholes. Kowalski suddenly changed his focus, turning his head and narrowing his eyes to see through the dense fog, that was now consuming the arena.

"Kowalski!".

He ignored his leader's call, remaining concentration. A movement was detected in the distant forest. Though his vision was blurred from the fog, the movement was clear. Kowalski's beak suddenly gaped and quivered in fright.

"S-Skipper... LOOK!" he stammered.

Skipper swung for the other penguin, before tripping him to the ground. The captain's eyes were diverted to Kowalski, as the figures approached them. It was too dark to be comforted and, accompanied with the fog, it was difficult to tell reality from imagination. Even the other penguin agent stared into the bushes. All three penguins strained their eyes, anticipating for something to happen. That was when five pairs of crimson glowing eyes pierced through the fog and stilled the agents hearts for a second as they froze in fear.

* * *

Dr Blowhole cackled as he stared down at the globe, a smirk forming on his face.

"I call these my 'mutt-tations'" the evil dolphin explained, to know one specific but to whom ever was listening, "Try a mutated hound to escape from, my foes!"


	12. Chapter 12-

**Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you.**

**Chapter 12**

Growls rumbled from the thunderous skies but that wasn't the noise that startled them. The beasts lurked in the darkness, slowly closing in on the penguin agents. Heavily distracted, it would have been the perfect time for the descendant of Buck Rockgut to strike Skipper, yet he was just as bewildered. The haunting glowing of the beast's red eyes was slightly hypnotic, in the fact that they simply could not take their gaze from them. Skipper shook himself out of his trance.

"Kowalski... What the heck are they?" he asked slowly, trying not to draw any more attention to himself. Kowalski backed away steadily, trying to reline with his captain.

"They appear to be some kind of mutt like mutants... No doubt a creation of Blowhole's flippers" Kowalski analysed at a whisper.

"Any options?"

"Don't make any sudden movements, but just slowly get to high ground," he instructed, backing away with Skipper, "We should be safe on top of that metallic hut".

The 'metallic hut', of which he spoke of, was a huge metal crate, placed next to the pile of weapons and in the centre of the starting point of each competitor. They continued to steadily ease themselves back, close to reaching the crate. Hyperventilating, the other penguin agent shuffled along the ground on his back. With the beast's snout and ferocious fangs now peering out from the fog, the little penguin squealed, spinning on to his belly and quickly launching himself to his feet. He dashed forward, frantically yelping in distress. Kowalski and Skipper shared a look of pure horror, as they watched their efforts of still movements go to waste. The beasts snarled and broke out into a chorus of blood curdling barking, lurching forward at the agents, who bolted to the crate. Skipper got to the safety of the crate, yanking Kowalski up to accompany him.

"Skipper, these mutants won't lay off until satisfied!" he gasped, getting to his feet.

"Satisfied? How are you meant to please a mutant pooch?!" Skipper groaned, raising a brow at his lieutenant.

"They'll only stop after the taste of penguin flesh..." gulped Kowalski, shifting his weight awkwardly.

"And you know this how?"

"Online course..."

"What else do I not know about you?!" Skipper gaped, realising that his soldier did more then what he ever fathomed. Kowalski didn't answer. Instead, he gently looked over the edge of the crate, viewing the snapping jaws as the beasts leaped up at the sides. Skipper grasped the taller penguin's flipper, in fear of him making a rash decision to sacrifice himself. The analyst stared at his commander, baring a look of concern, like he could read Skipper's thought by his expression. Kowalski shrugged away from Skipper's reach, before his mind realised and became alert, perking his body language.

"Skipper, where's Buck's so- UHN!". The taller penguin was tackled down, his neck arched over the side of the crate. He choked for his breath as Buck's descendant held him down tightly, attempting to push him off the edge. The mutant dogs continued to yap ferociously, jumping up to try and grab Kowalski in their fangs. Skipper lunged at the other penguin, who struggled as he put him in a headlock. Though this freed Kowalski's flippers, he was still trapped beneath the penguins weight. He squirmed to release himself but stopped as he started slipping down the crate. The captain raised his flipper that was tightly underneath the other penguin's jaw, choking him as he dragged back the straddled penguin.

"Get off of me!" the other penguin hissed, as Skipper pulled him up and pushed him over. Kowalski, now free from being pinned down, scrambled to safety on top of the crate. Skipper and his lieutenant had the outsider surrounded, closing in on him. In desperation, Buck's descendant leapt to his feet, preparing himself in a fighting stance. Kowalski, who was stood in front of the other penguin, pushed him back, making him stumble back into Skipper's flippers. The captain lifted the descendant by restraining him and threw him over the edge. The two penguins looked away as the mutants ceased barking. The sound of crunching bones and tearing flesh was haunting, but was soon over. The dogs scampered off, back into the forest. The final two penguins looked up at eachother, their expressions slowly emerging on their faces to match.

"W-We...We did it!" Skipper beamed, grasping his friend's shoulders and shaking him excitedly, "We've won!"

Kowalski's smile faded off into a guilty expression. He knew that only ONE could win, something Skipper had seemed to have forgotten.

"Um...Skipper..." he sighed, not wanting to break the news to his Captain.

"Yes, Kowalski?" Skipper cheered with a smile, unable to remain still on the crate.

"I- erm...I don't think-" the taller penguin's sentence was cut short by a voice that intercepted his. The two remaining penguins stared up at the hologram.

"Pen-GU-ins!" the hologram of Dr Blowhole greeted with a malicious grin, "It looks like we have our finalists for our last battle".

"Last battle? What are you talking about, Blowhole?!" Skipper snarled, his tone changing suddenly, "We have won, that is it!" he then turned to look at Kowalski, who's eyes were cast down, "Isn't it...?"

"Only ONE can survive, Skipper, and it looks like you are going to have to kill one of your own to survive" the dolphin chuckled evilly. Skipper's beak gaped.

"You said a team could win!" he bellowed, pointing his flipper at the hologram in anger.

"If they are from the same district" clarified Blowhole, looking smug.

"Kowalski," Skipper gasped, glancing back to his guilty looking lieutenant, "Did you know about this?"

The taller penguin didn't answer. He just turned his head away from Skipper's gaze completely.

"I can't wait to watch this fight" Dr Blowhole cackled, before the hologram disappeared.

"How could you keep this from me?" Skipper persisted, his voice quaking.

"It would have made no difference..." Kowalski whimpered, backing away.

"It makes a whole lot of a difference, you knew all along that one of us would have to die and you didn't tell me!" he gasped, marching towards Kowalski. The taller penguin blinked hard.

"We all had to die, it was a slim chance that I would have even got this far!" he snapped, turning to walk away. Skipper continued to march after him, grabbing his flipper to turn him back to face him. Kowalski snatched his flipper away from his leader.

"What is that supposed to mean?! You knew that my intentions was always to get the whole team through!"

"It's a fools dream!" Kowalski shouted, his emotions starting to shake his tone, "We were never all going to make it out alive".

There was a short silence, both of them avoiding eye contact. Skipper then observed at his lieutenant as he walked over to the pile of weapons.

"Kowalski...What are you doing?"

His voice sounded panicky as he watched the taller penguin pick up a dagger from the pile. Kowalski whimpered, blinking away his tears before looking over at his captain.

"You need to win..."

"No. No, no no!" Skipper hyperventilated, realising his friend's intention, "You can't, I won't let you. I'll do it".

Kowalski waddled to Skipper, his flippers shaking, holding the dagger.

"You know that you are the only one who can defeat Blowhole. You know that you are the only one who can end this madness..."

"I can't do it, I can't kill you, I lied all the times before. I never took out Manfredi or Johnson to teach them a lesson"

"I gathered" Kowalski snivelled, wiping away his tears, "Seen as they took part in the games".

"We can find a way, we'll, we'll find a way to get round this" the captain pleaded desperately. Kowalski shook his head, defeated by the situation.

"No" he gulped, his voice turning husky as he held back the tears, "This is how it has to go".

"Kowalski, no. Don't you dare leave me!" Skipper moaned, grabbing Kowalski's flipper with the dagger in.

"Don't let Private's and Rico's deaths be in vain...You must think of them, you have do it for them".

"I could never forget them...Or you. My loyal team mates" he gasped for his breath, trying to gain composure as he found himself close to tears, "Maybe if we just used your idea of running into the forests before the reaping, we wouldn't be facing this situation".

"Yeah..." the taller penguin sighed. He softly removed Skipper's flipper from him, clenching the dagger. "It was an honour Skipper...I've always enjoyed working with you. Go and make the penguin race proud..."

With that Kowalski gave Skipper a brotherly hug; short and sweet, before pulling away and driving the dagger into his own chest. Skipper felt the life drain out of his friend's body. As the corpse went to collapse, the leader of no team grasped the body, gently lowering it to the floor.

"I'm sorry it had to end like this" Skipper cried, allowing the tears to flow now no one was around to see. A light suddenly beamed down, followed by a platform that invited the survivor on board...


	13. Chapter 13- Finishing Strongly

**Cross over between POM and The Hunger Games. The characters belong to the creators of POM completely and you may recognise some parts from The Hunger Games, although it doesn't follow that story plot completely. Thank you.**

**I would just like to thank Thewriterstory and Aquade for being my regular reviewers, you have really encouraged me to keep writing for this story!**

**Chapter 13**

Skipper strained his eyes to see, shielding his gaze from the harsh light that was summoned down. There was a lashing noise that whipped his earholes, but the leader was able to identify it as a huge helicopter after his vision adjusted. A villainous cackle echoed down followed by a crackling of a megaphone.

"Skipper, how was it that I knew that you'd be the last one standing?" Dr Blowhole called, over the whooping of the propellers. The penguin closed his eyes tightly, before diverting his gaze to his fallen team mate, who he cradled in his flippers. He supported the back of Kowalski's neck, raising the taller penguin's head slightly as he examined his face at peace. A frustrated groan followed.

"I'm waiting, pen-GU-in"

"I'm coming dolphin!" snapped Skipper, scowling back up at the helicopter, which had its spotlights still on him. He pulled the corpse close to him, nestling his beak to his lieutenant's shoulder. _'Such weakness...'_ he thought, _'I never would have done this if you were alive...'. _With a saddened sigh, Skipper removed Kowalski's body, lying him gently in the long grass. Getting to his feet, he suddenly clenched his flippers into a fist. "What do you want Blowhole?!"

"You've won the Hunger Games, you negligent fool" the dolphin hissed, "Step onto the platform".

"Why should I trust you?!" he barked.

"Does your paranoia have no bounds?" Blowhole sighed, putting a flipper to his face, "Just get on it".

Skipper eyed up the metallic platform in question. He pulled the dagger from Kowalski's chest and placed it into his throwing dagger bag. Despite his trust for Blowhole being non-existent, he went ahead and stepped up onto the platform. After a sudden jolt, which slightly unbalanced Skipper, the platform was slowly eased up to the helicopter. Dr Blowhole greeted him with a malicious smirk.

"Let's return to the arena to announce your victory, as much as I would love to see you dead, rules are rules" he muttered.

Skipper's eye twitched in anger.

"Announce my victory? Announce my victory?! It's nothing to be proud of!" the commander snarled, marching towards the dolphin.

"Hey now," frowned Blowhole, backing up his Segway, "I wasn't the one who killed them".

"You?! Loads of penguin agents have died because of you!"

"I haven't killed any" the villain persisted.

"You set up the game! If the penguins don't die because of the rules then they die of starvation in fear of dying from the games!"

"Blame it all on me. But I am not the one who has betrayed my own kind"

Skipper narrowed his eyes.

"Don't you dare and try to make me feel guilty. I had no other choice!"

"You could have kept your honour and died"

"I still have my honour!" Skipper bellowed.

"...You think Private would agree?" he teased, hitting Skipper's nerves, "Or Rico?"

"Don't you dare speak of them!"

"What about Kowalski? Hmm? You think he thinks you are honourable?"

"He took his own life for me, they all did" Skipper gulped, casting away his gaze, blinking hard.

"A true leader would do anything for their team" he continued to taunt.

"I did everything I could!" yelled Skipper, his voice straining in desperation.

Dr Blowhole leaned forward towards the commander in a threatening manner.

"You did nothing. You betrayed your own team" he intimidated through gritted teeth, "I knew you were arrogant but I never would've guessed that you would've been this selfish".

Skipper reached into his throwing knives bag, clenching the handle of the dagger but keeping it out of sight.

"It's funny to think that Private, Rico and Kowalski would have died knowing what kind of leader you really are; pathetic and self-centred!"

The level-headed penguin couldn't take it any more. Insults of himself, he could take, but if his loyal deceased team mates? Rage boiled to exploding point as he whipped out the dagger and lunged at the dolphin. Blowhole swerved his Segway back, but was knocked to the ground by Skipper. He struggled. Holding Skipper's flippers to try and keep the dagger away, Blowhole called out to his minions. Enough lobster henchmen were on board to keep piloting the helicopter whilst others restrained Skipper. Dr Blowhole unravelled the dagger from Skipper's clenched flipper, who writhed in desperation to escape. The villainous dolphin smirked, holding the dagger to Skipper's throat as he was restrained. Skipper ceased all movements.

"I could just kill you, so easily. Look how defenceless you are now" he spat in disgust, "But I promised a winner".

"Since when do you keep your word?" Skipper muttered, swallowing hard. The dagger was slowly eased away from his throat.

"Since I realised that it will be a greater pain for you to live in guilt then just to kill you" smirked Blowhole.

"At least I have remorse, I almost feel sorry for you for having a stone cold heart..."

* * *

For surviving such a lethal and mentally traumatising game, the reward was meaningless. To keep his life, you'd think he'd be grateful, but what is a commander without a team. He went for days mourning over his soldiers, becoming sleep deprived from horrifying nightmares of reliving the whole event again. Now he had returned to his district, now he had nothing else to cast his mind to, he could only find himself thinking of the trauma he went through, no matter how hard he tried...

Though at the time it seemed useless, Skipper's failed attempt to kill Dr Blowhole wasn't in vain. After declaring Skipper as the winner of the this years Hunger Games, the dolphin then announced that this was the final event of the games. What made him change his mind was still unclear to them all, but they tried not to dwell on such negativity. Many lobster minions went round to each district, allowing the to mingle with the other districts and reuniting the penguins agents.

With a brave inhale to brace himself, Skipper returned to his HQ back at the Central Park Zoo. After a meeting with all the penguins agents and a lecture from a lobster henchman on behalf of Blowhole, they were all released. Skipper had done it. He had stopped the Hunger Games. Though how he had done it wasn't clear to him, it wasn't his priority at this point. He stared at the empty space of the HQ. It was cold and lifeless, just like his team mates bodies that once lived in this room. A lunacorn toy on one of the bunks. Memories of the youngest penguin's naïve yet adorable remarks came flooding back to the commander. A chainsaw rested up against the wall near the TV. It could only remind him of Rico and his brilliantly psychotic ways. Skipper swallowed hard, taking his first steps around the room since the night when it all started...

He dragged himself to the large metallic door. Kowalski's lab. Skipper pushed open the door. A breeze of cool air slipped out of the door, sending chills up Skipper's spine. He shuddered, gulping before continuing inside the room that bought back memories of the scientist and inventor who held the team together with his bright ideas, yet threatened to destroy the earth accidentally by scientific mishaps. A frown suddenly appeared on his face. A machine stood before him, one that he had never noticed before. He pulled off the note that was taped to the front of it, scanning his eyes over the words.

_'Skipper, no one can stop the inevitable, therefore I created this invention in advance. I can't say I knew that Private would predict the Hunger Games, but I knew the games would happen. I knew this because I invented this as I was sure that, this time, I had perfected time travel, only to find that in my future, I was destined to die in the games. Time Travel...I can only ask that you resist using its energy to go back and slap a hippy but I'm sure you'll do what's right.'_

"What's right?" Skipper asked himself out loud, "How am I meant to know what to do..." he gently pondered to himself, pacing a little, "No one can stop the inevitable... So I can't stop the games from happening...But maybe I can prevent us from ever taking place!" he suddenly realised, his eyes brightening. Skipper dropped the note and stepped into the machine. Pulling a leaver, he stood in anticipation, face suddenly filled with a sense of purpose once more.

A portal appeared and the present Skipper leaped out. As soon as he landed, he came to grips with his surroundings. Skipper realised that he was in fact back in his district, just before his past self was going to cross over to the neighbouring district where he would meet Kowalski. With a smirk, the commander dashed to the fence line, squeezing through a gap in the wires and crossing into the next district. Jumping down onto his belly, he slid into the forest, right until he got to the exact point where he would met his friend. A twig snapped behind him. This time, Skipper widened his eyes, quickly spinning around to see if it was indeed Kowalski.

"Woah, calm down Skipper!" Kowalski chuckled, holding up his flippers, "It's only me Skipper".

His words were familiar to how he remembered before.

"Kowalski!" he gasped, running to his lieutenant and throwing his flippers around him. Kowalski stumbled back, feeling a little dazed from his commander's reaction.

"Are you feeling okay Skipper?" chuckled Kowalski. Skipper pulled himself away, remembering the note.

"I know of the time machine you invented, I've come from the future" he explained.

"Y-You have?" Kowalski gaped, "My invention has worked a charm! No malfunctions!"

"I've missed you" he smirked, "And the others...It's been so long since I've seen Private and Rico..."

"I miss them too...So, you got to see them, you know...Die? But they're alive now, I'm sure they are fine, just now" Kowalski reassured, he looked at the continuing forests and mountains that covered the forbidden areas, "You know, I could live out there"

This conversation was starting to sound all to familiar to Skipper.

"We could, couldn't we? If we just got to the boarder lines, we'd be fine from there, we'd survive" he replied, different to how his past self did.

"And what about Rico and Private?" Kowalski questioned.

"We'll go collect them. Now. We leave now. Before the reaping begins" explained Skipper.

"Why so soon? What do you know? What future knowledge have you foreseen?" the analyst smiled, excited over his invention's success.

"Me, you, Private and Rico will all get chosen for this next reaping. I have promised myself that, to keep my honour, I must prevent my team from going into these psychotic games".

"Okay Skipper, you know that I'll always follow in your decisions" Kowalski smiled, "But know that you could never lose your honour, not to me, not to Rico or Private. We all look up to you".

"Thanks Kowalski, it means more to me then the present you will ever know" Skipper grinned, "Right, let's go. We'll bust out Private and Rico and then head for the boarder while they are all distracted by the reaping. When we reach the boarder line, we'll be safe. We'll eventually get back home, but all that matters is that I am with my team".

...

**The End.**

**I hope the end wasn't too much of a twist that it wrecked it, I just didn't want to end on such a glum note. Also, I know it is left on a cliff hanger and doesn't go on into them actually getting back with the other half of the team, but I wanted to leave that to the reader's imagination, as time travel never actually happened in the Hunger Games. **


End file.
